Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-04-01
uus WASHINGTON LETTER.
Written and compiled for the HERALD.
WASHINGTON, March %, 'S7.

event or tne appointment OF inter
State Commerce Commissioners is
a thing of the past, other import |
ant questions in connection with |
them have arisen. Each individual |
member of the board has been fully |
discussed from every standpoint,
viewed through and through, and !
allowed to pass as an honest, able |
man, whether or not he can do any
thing that will rebound to his credit
as regards the great crude problem
which he is called upon to grapple.
The next question is, where will
the new court sit7 This puzzles
Secretary Lamar. He is expected
to furnish the necessary accommo-
dations, and the Interior Depart
ment is already overcrowded, The
truth is this constantly growing
Government has no room any where
for q new bureau, and not half
enough for many of its old ones'-
If the Commission is fit to survive
the opposition, storms and conflicts
which await it during the term of
six years for which it was appoint.
ed, Uncle Sam will doubtless be
ready by that time to erect a com
modious building for its special
use. At present thew will be com
PEELED to seek more humble quar-.
tiers. Among the houses offered
for their use Is one that was form
erly occupied as a residence by
Mr.. Blaine.
The first Office OF Importance IN
der the Commission is that Of Sec
rotary, and candidates are being
brought forward. In the organiza-
ton and management of a new
branch of the service of so much
Importance as this Commission, its
Secretary will have large amount
of business to attend to, and of ne,
cessity must be a man of fine abil-
ity aud one who has some knowl.
edge of the organization and rou-
tine of the Government Depart
ments.
The establishment of new Fed
eral Office here, the employment OF
large clerical and official force,
and the fiocking to headquarters of
thousands of people, railroad men
and their attorneys, shippers, pro-
ducers, consumers, travellers and
others interested IN questions COM
ing before the Commission, will
have the effect of adding much to
the activity of the summer in Wash
iugton.
Every day the Civil Service Com
missioners receive letters from per
sons who desire to enter competi-
tive examinations for clerkships
under tbe new Inter State Com.
merce Commission. But the cer
cal force to be employed in this ser
vice will not come under the pro-
visions of the civil service law I'M
less the President sanctions and
promulgates a rule to that effect.
Just at this time there are pend.
ing before the United States Pen
sion Office 2S7,l37 claims. The
claims are received at the rate of
about six thousand week. The
number of pension certificates Is
sued every week is about two thou
sand, and over that number IS re-
iected weekly. On account Of the
Mexican Pension act Of Jan. 9, 'S7,
the Pension Office is embarrassed
now for lack of sufficient working
force. 1t is to-day that one hun
bred clerks OF this bureau, who
have volunteered their services, be-
gin to work extra hours on the
claims of the Mexican veterans
Their extra labOrs are required I'M
til the end of the present fiscal
year.
Recorder Trotter, who has had
so many vicissitudes during his
brief official career in Washington,
is again lying at the point Of death
at his X street residence. Stricken
down with pneumonia week ago,
be seemed to rally after a few days,
but has again relapsed, and little
hone is entertained of his recovery.
The most prominent physicians of
the city have been called in consul
tation, and all that medical science
could suggest has been done for the
patient. Kindly inquiries have
been daily made as to Mr.. TrOtters
condition, and many prominent peO-
pie have shown sincere sympathy
in his behalf.
eappointmentofG arratt Smith
Logan as deputy recorder of deeds
was filed in the Office Of the clerk
of the court Saturday afternoon
He is a son of the late Bishop Lo-
gan, of the NJ. f. Church, is quite
light in color, and is brother-in-
law Of ex.recorder Matthews.
Since it is at last authoritatively
announced that the Assistant IS to
be Mr.. Manuing's successor, ] can
safely speak of him as a Cabinet
officer, which he has long been in
all bat the name. Mr.. Fairchild is
more systematic and busiuess.like
than any man in the Cabinet, and
Is so considered by them. He even
has the mail of the Treasury De-
partment, which he attends to per-
sonally, brought to the Cabinet